Tennessee High School

Preparing students for post-graduate success

Josh Holt
Head Coach

On April 5, 2022, Josh Holt was named Head Coach of the Viking Football Program. Coach Holt is a graduate of Tennessee High School and a former Viking football player. Prior to becoming the head coach, he served one season as the team’s interim defensive coordinator. He has more than 15 years of coaching experience in high school football and has been a member of the Viking coaching staff since 2018.

Prior to joining Tennessee High, Coach Holt was an assistant football coach at Abingdon High School, Holston High School, and John Battle High School, all in Washington County Virginia Public Schools. Holt graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Emory and Henry, where he also played football, and a Master of Arts in Secondary Science from the University of Southern California. He is also a veteran of the United States Army. He and his wife Morgan have two sons, Maxwell and Liam. Coach Holt is very excited to take the reigns of the Viking Football Program.

Jesse Taylor
Offensive Coordinator and Quaterbacks

Coach Jesse Taylor is the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach for the Vikings. Coach Taylor came to THS in 2020 after stints as an assistant at Daniel Boone and Sullivan South. He played high school football at Elizabethton and attended ETSU where he received his Bachelor's degree. Coach Taylor teaches in the Social Studies Department at THS. He and his wife Savannah live in Elizabethton.

Matt Chandler
Defensive Coordinator and Inside Linebackers

Coach Matt Chandler will serve as the Defensive Coordinator of the Vikings once again this season as well as continuing to coach the inside linebackers. Before coming to Tennessee High in 2002, he spent seven years as Defensive Coordinator at Sullivan East and was the Head Coach at John Battle. Coach Chandler graduated from Virginia High, where he was a team captain of the 1987  Region champion football team.  After high school, Coach Chandler played college football at Emory and Henry College.  He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Emory & Henry, a Master's Degree from Tusculum College, and a second Master's Degree from Union College.  Matt and his wife Tammy have two daughters, Hannah and Abbie. Coach Chandler teaches Driver's Education at Tennessee High.

Derek Dowdell
Running Backs

Coach Derek Dowdell has coached football at Tennessee High since 1996.   In his time at THS, he has coached both the offensive line and running backs. He currently is the Running Backs Coach for the Vikings.  In his playing days, Coach Dowdell was a running back at Greenbrier High School and Austin Peay State University. Coach Dowdell has a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from the University of Tennessee. He teaches English at Tennessee High.  Coach Dowdell is married to his wife  Allison, and he is also the father of two boys, Trevor and Trent.

Daryl Shanks
Defensive Line

Coach Daryl Shanks has been on the Vikings sideline since 1997. Coach Shanks coaches the Defensive Tackles. Coach Shanks is a David Crockett High School graduate, where he played offensive and defensive line for the Pioneers. While at David Crockett, Coach Shanks earned All-State honors. Along with many of the other coaches, Coach Shanks is a graduate of  ETSU.  He earned a Master's Degree from Union College.   He and his wife, Brooke, have two children, a daughter Taylor, and a son Cooper.  Coach Shanks teaches U.S. History at Tennessee High.

Christian Gibson
Safeties

Coach Christian Gibson joined the THS coaching staff in 2022 after a playing career at ETSU where he was a part of the Bucs conference championship team in 2018. He is a THS grad who is teaching PE and Wellness at his alma mater. Coach Gibson and his wife Emily have a dog named Cooper.

Jordan Bryant
Tight Ends & H Backs

Coach Jordan Bryant returned to  Tennessee High to coach in 2021. He currently serves as the Tight Ends and H Backs Coach   He is an alum of the Viking Football Program and also previously coached at Vance Middle School. Coach Bryant is a graduate of ETSU and teaches Special Education at THS. He and his wife Haley have a daughter named Caroline.

Addison Powers
Defensive Ends